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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

POWERBALL TICKET PURCHASES

How much does it cost to play Powerball?Powerball® costs $2 per play; $3 with the Power Play® option.

How late can I purchase Powerball tickets?Sales cut-off times vary by one to two hours before the drawings on Wednesday and Saturday evenings, depending on the selling jurisdiction.
To find your lottery’s sales cut-off time, click here.

Can I purchase Powerball tickets over the Internet?Some lotteries sell Powerball tickets over the Internet, but the service is only available to residents of that jurisdiction. The sale of Powerball tickets over the Internet or by mail across jurisdictional borders is restricted. Lotteries may refuse to pay out prize money on Powerball tickets purchased on any website other than their own – please contact the individual lottery with any further questions.

Do you have to be a U.S. citizen or resident to play Powerball?You do not have to be a U.S. citizen or U.S. resident to play Powerball. Players from jurisdictions where Powerball tickets are not sold, either in the United States or outside the country, can purchase Powerball tickets from a retailer licensed or authorized by the selling jurisdiction, if they meet the legal age requirement in the jurisdiction of purchase. Federal and jurisdictional income taxes may apply to any claimed prize money.

POWERBALL DRAWINGS

When are Powerball drawings held?Powerball drawings are held Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

How can I watch Powerball drawings?The Powerball drawing show is broadcast live from Tallahassee, Fla. It is uplinked to more than 125 television stations across the country. Click here for a complete list.
Drawing shows are also posted to Powerball.com under the video section and to YouTube.

Why is the 10X multiplier in Power Play only available in some Powerball drawings?
The 10X multiplier is only in play when the Powerball jackpot is $150 million or less. To see Power Play odds when the 10X multiplier is available, click here.

Do I have to match the numbers in the exact order drawn?
Powerball tickets print the white ball numbers in numerical order of a given Play. You can match the winning, white ball numbers in any order of a given Play to win a prize. The red Powerball number of a given play on your ticket must match the red Powerball drawn. Each Play on a ticket is separately determined; players cannot crisscross Play lines on a ticket or combine numbers from other tickets. Click here to see the 9 ways you can win a prize. CLAIMING PRIZES

How can I claim my prize?
Players can generally claim a prize up to $600 at any licensed lottery retailer in the jurisdiction where they bought the ticket. Winning tickets do not have to be cashed at the same store, but they do have to be cashed in the jurisdiction of purchase. Prizes over $600 can be claimed at some lottery offices, depending on the amount, and also at lottery headquarters. To check your lottery's claim rules and whether you can claim your prize by mail, click here. Please contact your lottery with any further questions.

How long do I have to claim my prize?
Ticket expiration dates vary from 90 days to one year, depending on the selling jurisdiction. The expiration date is often listed on the back of your ticket. If the expiration date is not listed, check with your lottery.

What happens to unclaimed prizes? Unclaimed prizes are kept by the lottery jurisdiction. If a jackpot prize is unclaimed, the money must be returned to all lotteries in proportion to their sales for the draw run. The lotteries then distribute the money, based on their own jurisdiction's laws, to other lottery games or to their jurisdiction's general fund, or otherwise as required by law.

Can Powerball winners remain anonymous?Each jurisdiction has its own law on winners remaining anonymous. Some jurisdictions are required by law to provide the winner's name, city of residence, game won and prize amount to any third party who requests the information. Other jurisdictions allow winners to create trusts to shield their names from the public, or otherwise claim prizes anonymously. Check with your lottery to see if photos are required and what its rules are on prize claims. Even if you keep your identity secret from the media and the public, you will have to be known to the lottery so officials can confirm you are eligible to play and win and for other legal requirements. JACKPOT PRIZES

What is the difference between the annuity option and cash value option? A Powerball jackpot winner may choose to receive their prize in 30 annual payments or a one-time, lump-sum cash payment. The cash value option, in general, is the amount of money required to be in the jackpot prize pool, on the day of the drawing, to fund the estimated jackpot annuity prize. The advertised jackpot annuity and cash value are estimates until ticket sales are final, and for the annuity, until the Multi-State Lottery Association takes bids on the purchase of securities.

Federal and jurisdictional income taxes apply to both jackpot prize options.

Check with your lottery for its rules on how to claim a jackpot prize and the correct procedure for selecting the annuity or cash value option.

What happens to an annuity prize if the winner dies?If a jackpot winner dies before receiving all annual installments, the balance of the prize will be paid to the winner's estate. Upon receipt of a court order, annual prize payments will continue to be paid to the winner's heirs. Other provisions may also apply depending on the laws of the lottery paying the prize.POWERBALL PLAYERS

How do I change my email address or unsubscribe?
To change to your email address or to unsubscribe from receiving the winning numbers by email, click here.

Where can I find numbers from previous drawings?
The Powerball Numbers Page allows you to search past drawings for a particular set of numbers. This is useful if you regularly play the same numbers, and you want to see if they have ever been drawn.

There is also a frequency chart that details how many times certain numbers have been drawn.

To find all winning number combinations dating back to 1997, click here.

Are subscriptions, Multi-Draws or Future Plays available?
Subscription plays are off-line purchases that usually include an automatic payment or repurchase option. Several lotteries offer subscription plays, but they are only available for purchase by residents of that jurisdiction.

The Multi-Draw option allows you to play the same numbers in back-to-back drawings. The number of drawings players can buy in advance varies by jurisdiction.

Future Play allows you to skip several draws ahead and purchase a ticket for a future draw date. Future Plays are not available in all jurisdictions. Check with your lottery.SCAMS

I got an email asking me to send money to collect a Powerball prize. Is it legitimate?Lotteries do not contact prize winners through email, and lotteries do not charge fees to claim Powerball prizes. Lotteries do not send purported winners a "preliminary prize check" and ask them to advance back a service fee to claim a bigger prize. If you are asked to pay a fee to claim a prize, you are likely being scammed, and you should not share any personal contact or banking information with those entities.

Is Powerball giving away prize money on Facebook?
Facebook users are reporting notices that indicate Powerball is giving away prize money on Facebook. These notices are false and fraudulent. Lotteries do not contact prize winners through Facebook.